For me, the biggest problem with Coexist was that it was so predictable. There wasn't a second of that album that was a surprise or had any kind of "wow" factor. And this is just a thing that bothers me -- I hate it when bands make albums that sound just like their other albums. I don't get the point in making a new album if it's just going to be basically the same stuff you've done before. (FWIW this isn't xx specific and is a cranky rant I have about a lot of indie bands today.)

I mean there's some subtle differences obv, but it was all the same formula, and the result was that it instantly felt inessential to me. I just can't imagine myself ever listening to Coexist over their debut.

Coexist >>> xx

I can't really respond point by point, but I'll try to expand on my thoughts.

I don't think xx is front-loaded. I loved it and listened to the **** out of it in 2009 and 2010 and never felt the need to skip tracks.

What strikes me about that album, actually, is that start to finish the tunes are really catchy. Despite unfolding at glacial pace, the recurring theme is good, crisp melodies. No single track off the new album has grabbed me the way Intro, Crystalised, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Night Time or others. I think I've listened to Coexist 5 or 6 times, and apart from Angels (which had me excited for the album when it was released) no one song has stood out to me. Reunion I quite like, but I don't even know another track by name.

Lyrically the debut struck me as well. I'm actually quite numb to lyrics a lot of the time, but certain songs jumped out at me from the first album. In a good way. Heart Skipped a Beat in particular I thought was really touching. VCR was a bit sweet for my taste, but it came from a nice, adolescent place. There was character to those songs.

Whenever I notice the lyrics on Coexist, it's always moaning about failed relationships. I can't easily single anything out atm because I don't have the album at hand, but where I felt like there was personality shining through on the lyrics on the self-titled album, I don't get that at all from Coexist.

And finally, you're right, it was disappointing to hear something so similar in tone to the first album. Partly because they built an expectation that they were going to break new ground. But mainly because I don't feel that they improved on the formula.

That's alright though, my taste is way out of step with most people in this thread, and I'm happy to see a band that put out one of my favourite albums in recent years get recognised. They're in their early-20s after all, I hope they release many albums over the coming years.

Kinda forgot about this one, feel it needs to be posted just cause of how great a cover it is

yeah this and SR's post are a fair enough viewpoint. i agree xx has their best *songs* (islands, heart skipped a beat) but as far as a cohesive album, coexist works better for me.

XX>coexist. That you got the love cover is so good. Pretty sure I've heard it in some mix before.

Coexist has all the elements of xx but is a much more perfected and better sounding album.

Like i love xx, but Coexist just takes all the elements that make The xx good and progressed them.

Now i can remember listening to Cloud Nothings- Attack on Memory back at the start of the year and not really getting the hype behind it at all, i gave it a good number of listens too but i just thought it was average.

Gave it another shot there, after not hearing it for 11 months, and wow its one of the best things ive heard this year

weird when this happens

Had the same reaction to it when it came out, will give it another spin I guess. Came across 100s' Ice Cold Perm recently, which is another gem that seems to have been mostly overlooked. Track from that and two other good tapes:

People can finish out their top 10 lists and whatnot, but for all new music here's the 2013 thread.

hor, did you listen to the men's album?

I just realised Alt-J's album An Awesome Wave didn't get a mention in the end of year lists. Don't know how I forgot about it, definite standout for me. I think it won the Mercury Music Prize... Did people not like it, or did it just not get much play in the states?

fed,

very briefly. didn't grab me, but i didn't give it much of a chance.

It got a bad review by Pitchfork

Edit: the alt-j thing ofc, the men got very overrated by pitchfork (was my feeling when it was released anyway - the Pop.1280 album seemed much more worthwhile to me, and I still like that one)

?? i seem to recall it getting BNM

i grabbed it based off a couple of positive reviews but put it down quickly. for whatever reason i tend not to be all that into new punk / hardcore even when it is critically acclaimed. same with ****ed up, everyone seems to love them but i think they're terribly boring. i was really into punk and hardcore when i was younger though.

EDIT: or maybe you mean alt-j, i don't know anything about who or what that is, thought you were responding to fed.

Oh dear, now I'm embarrassed!

agree about ****ed up, i like the men's album from last year though. that verse album that was mentioned itt a while ago I also quite like, but i'm no authority on this genre.

Good

i like that alt j album

For any fans of The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach's solo album Keep it Hid is really good. More acoustic, less electric.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkKhm6Ubj38